Jason Segel portrays late Foster Wallace in 'The End of the Tour'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Reuters) - Known for his romantic comedies, Hollywood actor Jason Segel takes on a more serious role playing the late acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace in the biographical drama “The End of the Tour”.

The film recalls a five-day interview between Foster Wallace and Rolling Stone contributing editor David Lipsky in 1996 just after the novelist published his best-known book “Infinite Jest” in 1996.

“The Social Network” actor Jesse Eisenberg portrays Lipsky.

“What is really wonderful about an experience like this is everyone is there because they love it,” Segel said when asked about taking on the role at the film’s premiere on Monday night.

Directed by James Ponsoldt, the film is based on Lipsky’s 2010 book “Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace”. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies wrote the screenplay.

“I was so excited to read a script by a playwright,” Eisenberg said of Margulies.

“Chances are when you read a script by a playwright, the characters will be better than scripts that are not because playwrights are trained to emphasize characters, emotion and dialogue.”

“The End of the Tour” is set for a limited release on July 31 and across U.S. cinemas in August.